Palo Alto Airport

Palo Alto Airport (IATA: PAO, ICAO: KPAO, FAA LID: PAO) is a general aviation airport in the city of Palo Alto in Santa Clara County, California, United States, near the south end of San Francisco Bay on the western shore.[1]

Palo Alto Airport
Diagram of the Palo Alto Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorCity of Palo Alto
LocationPalo Alto, California
Elevation AMSL7 ft / 2 m
Coordinates37°27′40″N 122°06′54″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
13/31 2,443 745 Asphalt
Statistics
Runway 31Runway in good condition; lights
Runway 13Runway in good condition; lights
Bird's-eye view of the facilities

Facilities

Palo Alto Airport covers 102 acres (41 ha) and has one asphalt paved runway (13/31) measuring 2,443 × 70 ft. (745 × 21 m).[2]

Facilities at this busy towered airport include a staffed terminal and multiple repair shops: Advantage Aviation (Cessna & Beechcraft Authorized Service Center), WVAS Inc. dba Aero Works (Diamond Authorized Service Center), Rossi Aircraft, and Peninsula Avionics. The airport is also home to a number of flying clubs (in order of establishment): Stanford Flying Club (est. 1930),[3] West Valley Flying Club (est. 1973),[4] Sundance Flying Club (est. 2006), and Advantage Aviation Flying Club. The airport is located within one-half mile of U.S. Route 101.

First-time pilots should familiarize themselves with the complex Bay Area airspace, especially the overlying SFO Class B and the abutting SJC Class C airspace. Landing pilots should also watch out for bird and jackrabbit activity.

Fifteen miles of hiking and biking trails, affording multiple opportunities for birdwatching, form part of the adjacent 1,940-acre (785 ha) Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve.[5] The airport is also adjacent to a public golf course.[6] Dining options within a short walk include the Abundant Air Cafe,[7] and the Bay Café[8] at the golf course.

Instrument approaches

Palo Alto Airport has two approaches, both to runway 31. The S-31 GPS approach to runway 31 has 460' MDA/1-mi visibility minimum for class A approaches. The VOR approach has 500' MDA/1-mi visibility minimums.

  • GPS Runway 31[9]
  • VOR/DME Runway 31 from San Jose VOR[10]

The VOR approach is almost impossible to get from Air Traffic Control if the aircraft is GPS-equipped, because of the conflict with airline traffic at San Jose International Airport.

History

The original Palo Alto airport was located adjacent to Stanford Stadium and was built in the late 1920s.[11] Between 1934 and 1936, a new Palo Alto Airport was built at the airport's current location.[12]

In 1989 a comprehensive area history analysis was conducted by Earth Metrics, based upon review of extant aerial photographs. The photo reconnaissance flights were flown in 1956, 1960, 1973, 1974 and 1980 by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and are archived by the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California. Comparison of the aerial photographs indicate that no development had begun in the vicinity prior to 1956 other than the Palo Alto Airport and the Regional Water Quality Control Board Plant (terminus of Embarcadero Way). Between 1956 and 1960, no new development had taken place in the area; however, by 1973, the Harvey Gum Factory was on the subject site and structures were either completed or under construction at 1890 Embarcadero Road and 2440-2450 Embarcadero Way. Conditions were dentical in the 1974 aerial photograph. In the 1980 aerial photograph, the Harvey Gum Factory is standing, and additional infill construction can be seen in the area such as the Baylands Business Park adjacent and to south of the site and the structure now located at 1860 Embarcadero Road. The Harvey Gum Factory was demolished in 1982, based on Palo Alto Planning Department records.

In 2015 the City of Palo Alto took over operations from Santa Clara County, after a 50-year lease had ended.[13]

See also

References

Notes
  1. "Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  2. http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/pwd/palo_alto_airport/default.asp
  3. http://www.flystanford.com/
  4. http://www.wvfc.org/
  5. http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/csd/parks/preserves/baylands.asp
  6. http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/csd/golf/default.asp
  7. http://abundantair.com/
  8. http://www.baycaferestaurant.com/
  9. GPS Runway 31
  10. VOR/DME Runway 31 from San Jose VOR
  11. Landing Fields of the Pacific West | Page=56 | Date=1931
  12. Airfield Bulletins No2 | Page=23 | Date=1934 & 1936
  13. Sheyner, Gennady. "Council votes to take over Palo Alto Airport". Retrieved 2017-06-13.

Sources

Further reading
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